Welcome to my personal reflections on life, love and the world around me. Be prepared for a variety of topics; crafts and recipes, self-improvement initiatives, quirks and quotes, and other tidbits of interest that come into my view. The journey begins...walk with me.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Project Have Hope

Project Have Hope is a non-profit organization that seeks to empower women in the Acholi Quarter of Uganda by providing education to both the women & their children and assisting the women to establish business opportunities to promote economic stability and sustainability.

The women were introduced to paper bead jewelry by an Irish missionary who originally learned the technique from women in Kenya. The Acholi women have since fine-tuned their techniques and used their creativity to create new designs of their own. Project Have Hope started buying beads from its members in January 2006. Through this partnership, sales have increased significantly. In 2009, each of PHH’s 100 members earned about $50 per month. The women receive monthly payments from PHH for the beads so that they can depend on the steady income.

The beads are handcrafted from recycled paper making each bead unique with individual color variations. First the beaders cut the paper into long triangles and then roll the strips to make each bead. The beads are then varnished, giving the jewelry sheen and durability. The beaders then carefully select individual beads of matching hues to create beautiful and unique jewelry.